Friday, November 30, 2018

GObike
Buffalo received more than 85 unclaimed bicycles NFTA-Metro. The donated
bicycles will be used for GObike Buffalo’s recycle-a-bicycle classes, an
educational program for children of all ages in which students receive a
donated bicycle and strip it down, part-by-part, and rebuild it.

In addition
to rules of the road, GObike Buffalo teaches the students how to travel from
place to place on two wheels via bike paths and bicycle infrastructure with a
final group ride on their rebuilt bicycle around their surrounding
neighborhoods and local parks.

“We are
thrilled to partner with GObike Buffalo and do our part to help those who
cannot afford bikes become more independent,” said Tom George, Director, Public
Transit, NFTA Metro. “We value GObike Buffalo and recognize the importance of
bicycling to provide additional modes of transportation in the community and
their strong tie to public transportation."

Donated
bicycles from the NFTA had been left by bus patrons on bus bicycle racks. The
NFTA Metro stores the bicycles for 90 days before donating to GObike Buffalo.
NFTA Metro began donating the bicycles to GObike Buffalo in 2017.

Each year,
GObike Buffalo recycles an average 1,000 of bicycles back into the
community, thanks to generous donations from community members and organizations
such as the NFTA. In 2018, GObike Buffalo has taught 275 children
through their recycle-a-bicycle program.

Many of you have been seeing a new face in MIS these days, and his name is Jason Reilly. Jason joined the NFTA in October as our new System Administrator Manager. His role includes assisting the MIS team with ongoing upgrades and overall support.

Jason's prior experience includes running a small IT department for a healthcare agency with a strong focus on security and industry compliance. He has a degree in computer information systems as well as degrees in psychology and history.

Jason is originally from Syracuse but has lived in WNY for the past 22 years. In his free time he spends family time with his two children, a 17 year-old daughter and 14-year old son. He is also an avid sports fan and enjoys watching and coaching various sports.

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

On November 28, the Buffalo Niagara International Airport had the honor of officially receiving the prestigious J.D. Power award after ranking number one in customer satisfaction among all medium hub airports in North America.

The Airport was named number one after an extensive survey of the flying public. The high scores were attributed to ease of parking and going through security, and the expansive concession offerings for passengers.

The Buffalo airport serves approximately5 million passengers per year, many of which are Canadians. This great honor was announced a few months ago, but the airport received the actual award during an official ceremony today.

Monday, November 19, 2018

William (Billy) Lobuzzetta
celebrates 40 years at the NFTA on Tuesday, November 20. In honor of this
great milestone, Tom George, with assistance from Sue Ohol, held a surprise
luncheon during Metro's recent management team meeting. The celebration
included an etched glass award and a Ralph Kramden cake, referencing "a
bus driver with big dreams" of Honeymooners fame.

Billy started his
career as a Bus Driver in 1978 working out of Metro's Cold Spring Station. Being
recognized for his stellar work ethic and dedication to serving the riding
community, he became Bus Supervisor in 1984 and in 2002 was appointed as the
Teamster's Union Leader. In 2004, he was promoted to Superintendent of
Transportation Services and continues to serve in this role today.

At Metro, Billy is known as "the guy who gets it done." Over
the years he has successfully managed Metro dispatch services and supervised numerous employees. He has also helped plan
and organize Metro bus participation during special events including
stuff-a-bus and other community engagement activities. Although he makes
it all look so easy, his hard work never goes unnoticed.

“Billy Lobuzzetta’s value to the organization goes beyond his
role of monitoring and managing our transportation system, his knowledge of our
community and role in pursuing great customer service are paramount to making
us vital to the community,” said Tom George.

In talking with Billy, you quickly get the impression that he loves his job in
transportation, and he iswell-equipped to handle any situation.
One of his most significant memories includes managing Metro's crisis services day and night during the unexpected and devastating lake-effect storm in October of
2006. During this time, he helped transport a large group of electrical
and tree service employees on Metro bus from Buffalo to Rochester and back for
ten days, so that the community and our residents could get the necessary help needed.

"I am so proud to
work for NFTA Metro. I never dreamed when I got hired what a wonderful
career would be ahead of me. I want to thank Kim Minkel and Tom George
for their unwavering support, and the amazing employees and community
members that I have had the pleasure of working with over the years. It has been such a fantastic ride (pun intended), and I do
not plan on slowing down anytime soon."

Please
help in congratulating Billy on this amazing 40th year and milestone anniversary!

Friday, November 16, 2018

Christine Farrow, NFTA's Equal Employer Opportunity Manager, has added yet another achievement to her list. She is a proud graduate of the New York State's Public Transit Leadership Institute, which provides a
year-long program devoted to mid-to senior-level managers aspiring to serve in an
executive leadership role.

PTLI provides a first-hand look at the role of a transit executive
under the mentorship of Bill Carpenter, Chief Executive Officer of Rochester
Transit Authority. While working with Bill and his team, Christine had
the opportunity to enhance her knowledge in the areas of crisis management, Board
and labor relations, leadership, and advocacy to name a few. “Participation in this program has provided me with a wealth of knowledge enabling me to better assist our employees at the NFTA and the local community we serve. Through PTLI, I have been able to incorporate
my experience as a diversity and inclusion professional and assist others in coordinating progressive meetings and training sessions. This truly was an amazing program, and I am
grateful to Kim Minkel and Tom George for recommending me,” said Christine.While in the program, Christine volunteered to help coordinate the key diversity speaker for NYPTA's 2018 fall conference and served as moderator for the leadership track session, Inclusion and Equality: Driving from Awareness to Action.Way to go Christine - congratulations on your great achievements!

Artists from left -Tyshaun, Imani and Obsidian with
Metro's Dir. of Public Transit, Tom George

On November 9, El
Museo, in conjunction with the NFTA, hosted a special event to launch Your Utica Station, and unveiled its public installation of art by four local
artists.

The artists include Tyshaun Tyson, Imani Williamson, Obsidian
Bellis, Bleu-Ruby Daniels-Taylor, all of whom have been influenced by their
experiences growing up and taking Metro in Buffalo. Each of the three artists in attendance
delivered a short presentation on the inspiration for their individual piece.

Representatives from El Museo expressed their enthusiasm in showcasing the artists' works within Utica Station in the next few
months, and they are looking forward to riders and community members stopping to take a look. "We are
very excited about this new initiative and its alignment with our longstanding mission
to exhibit work by underserved artists and engage diverse audiences and
marginalized communities in Buffalo and Western New York," said William
Vogel, El Museo's Executive Director.

Your Utica Station aims to inspire transit riders and beautify this unique
public space. The project was made possible in part by a grant from the Buffalo
Niagara Medical Campus and support from the NFTA and Lamar Advertising. The
artwork will be on display at the station until December 30, 2018.

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

On November 1, Metro's Rachel Maloney conducted a tour of DL&W for 30 members of the Preservation Buffalo Niagara.

This nonprofit organization invests in projects that play a role in the protection of historic buildings and community revitalization. Given the historic value and relatable charm of the 101 year-old facility, the attendees expressed interest in learning more about the upcoming plans for DL&W, and this was a great hands-on way to do so.

The focus of the tour was on the new Metro rail passenger station and the planned redevelopment of the 80,000 sq. ft. space on the second level. Some key factors in this redevelopment project include maintaining the existing building features and providing access to the river. The anticipated completion date for the project will be in 2022.